Working: That note says a lot more than thanks

WORKINGThat post-interview note says a lot more than thanks

L.M. SIXEL, HOUSTON CHRONICLE |
April 8, 2011

Mark Hordes does a lot of interviewing, looking to contract with consultants who can work with his client companies on organizational culture change.

They are all professional positions — his average contractor has about 25 years of experience - but Hordes estimates that only about 30 percent of the applicants send him an email thank-you note after an interview.

And it's been 15 years since he's received a handwritten note on a piece of nice stationery, he said.

"That would get my attention," said Hordes, senior vice president and principal with the Sinclair Group, an operations management consulting firm based in The Woodlands.

With the job market so tough, it's important to get an edge, especially when a single job opening can attract hundreds of applicants. And experts say there is no better way than sending a note after an interview that reinforces your enthusiasm for the job and reiterates how well your skills fit the job opening.

Receiving a post-interview thank-you note tells Hordes three things: the applicant paid attention, is detail-oriented and is proactive. And who isn't looking for those qualities?

"It helps to differentiate somebody," said Lori Black, a recruiter for Warren Recruiting in Houston, which specializes in placing lawyers in law firms and companies. A well-written note highlights a candidate's personality and communication style.

While Black encourages the lawyers she represents to send a note -preferably handwritten - the day they're interviewed, she said she doesn't get too many herself.

"When they do, it certainly stands out," she said - especially an applicant who sent along a tin of gingerbread.

"I'll do anything for her," Black said, laughing.

So what makes a good thank-you note? The trick is to make it personal so it doesn't sound like a form letter.

If you made a personal connection during the interview - for example, it turns out you're both Chicago Bears fans - mention it, Black recommended.

But don't get too long-winded in thanking someone for their time and consideration. Hordes said some of the post-interview letters he receives are just a sentence. Others run 20 paragraphs.

Black recommends four or five sentences maximum.

Use appropriate stationery, she added. That means no "Hello Kitty" stickers or sparkling purple ink of the type that is popular among the middle-school set.

And then there's the question of how to send it.

Bethany Holloway and her husband have been having a friendly dispute over which is better: an email or handwritten note.

He thinks a handwritten note is best, said Holloway, marketing manager for Towers Watson, a human resources consulting firm in Dallas. But when his job search stretched to four months, Holloway persuaded him to send an email within an hour or so after leaving an interview for the job as marketing director of a litigation boutique law firm.

"Job decisions are made very quickly," said Holloway, explaining her logic for the quick note. And by 4 p.m. that same day, her husband had a written offer in hand, which he accepted.

"I think it probably closed the deal," Holloway said.

In this 24/7 world, the email note showed someone who was fast and responsive.